Ring, ring

[dorkusxmaximus]

Okay, I don't mind getting hit on the head too hard unless it's from a newbie or lower kyu. Anyway, everytime I get hit way too hard on the head, I get this ringing sound in my ear (they don't smack anywhere near the ears at all). It kind of sounds like something a person would hear from the emergency broadcast system on tv, and I don't hear any sound in the background either regardless of all that kiai. What I'm asking is what happens to me when I experience such a thing? Should I even still continue practicing kendo? Does anyone else experience this too? I think i'm going to go deaf soon or something if this keeps up.

[xvikingx]

I used to have the nasty habit of leaning slightly forward when attcking. This resulted in me getting hit right on the very top of my head and sometimes my ears would ring too. Me get hit many time but don't do no thing wrong my head... :ko:
But seriously I don't think it is a good thing to get clubbed so hard your ears ring. My friend who boxes would tell me stories about getting knock in the head to point were that starts to happen. He said what usually follows is being knocked out.
I am not a doctor or expert kendoka, so all I can say is be careful.

[dorkusxmaximus]

I can't avoid them, but I'll try to be careful. They're almost at every practice and every dojo. I can't tell a sensei/sempai to stop what they're doing. Wouldn't that be disrespectful of me? The only thing I can do is hope I can withstand the punishment, or find a new way to subside the ringing and not feel as disoriented. What your friend describe could lead me to a concussion =O?!? I need more information about this T_T.

[xvikingx]

Sorry I can't be more helpful. Maybe you could tactfully explain your situation to your sensei, if you have time to chat with him/her alone. Or you could casually bring it up with a senior student you feel comfortable with. You could tell him/her sometimes when you recieve men uchi you get the ringing in your ears. Don't mention any names, just talk about your injury.
Me, I value my health far more than someone's expectation of my level of "respect". I don't mean be rude, I am just saying you can be respectful and bring up this issue at the same time. If a person's ego is so swollen that they are unable to show concern for their dojo mates well being, then I believe they are the ones with a respect problem and not you.
(Just my opinion; feel free to flame)

[Shiro]

http://tozando.com/eng/kendo/kk03.html

This might help. Off course, your men has to be big enough :/.

[Hai_hai]

Okay, I don't mind getting hit on the head too hard unless it's from a newbie or lower kyu. Anyway, everytime I get hit way too hard on the head, I get this ringing sound in my ear (they don't smack anywhere near the ears at all). It kind of sounds like something a person would hear from the emergency broadcast system on tv, and I don't hear any sound in the background either regardless of all that kiai. What I'm asking is what happens to me when I experience such a thing? Should I even still continue practicing kendo? Does anyone else experience this too? I think i'm going to go deaf soon or something if this keeps up.

You are suffering from a head injury, or concussion, everytime you get hit on the head very hard. This is causing tinnitus (ringing in the ears), or more specifically subjective tinnitus.

[dorkusxmaximus]

Tinnitus? That means my auditory nerve is affected =O !!! I wished my men was big enough to fit a men pad in there. When my friend measured me , he made sure my new men fit me perfectly and it does *sigh*. I don't want to go back to my old men because the men buton is too soft, but I'll probably wear it again since it has a men pad in there.

[hyuna]

It is possible that you are not tying your men properly or perhaps not tightly enough. Perhaps it would be helpful to have your sensei or someone doublecheck that your men is on correctly.

[Migoto]

My men was also too small to fit a stock men pad. So I removed some of the layers of pading in the men pad and restitched it. Now I have a men pad in my men that is a custom fit. You may want to try it. I also had a ringing in my ears when I wore my men without the men pad. But with the men pad in it does not seem to happen.

[dorkusxmaximus]

I tie my men just as I was taught by my sempai/sensei. There's nothing wrong with the way I'm tying it. It's just that there needs to be room for me to slide in some padding in there!!! Taking my men apart sounds like a good idea, but I wouldn't dare to do such a thing. I wouldn't want my kendo helmet to fall apart on me T_T.You don't know how much money I saved up for one new piece of bogu.

[hyuna]

The fact that there is no room for a pad is the reason I suggest you should have someone doublecheck the way you are wearing your men.

It is a common misconception that the top of the men should rest flat on the top of your head. Rather, there should be a small bubble of space between your head and the top of then men. If there is not, the men is either not tied properly, not sized properly, or, I suppose, not made properly. It is very common for beginners, and especially those with new bogu, to not tie the men tightly enough. Because the new men is stiffer, it is much more difficult to tie it tightly enough until it is broken in and shaped to your head. If it is tied too loose, the men shifts down during practice and stops being protective. So, since you said you have a new men, it is worth checking even if you were tying your old men properly.

A pad of some sort can generally fit in a correctly sized men of good condition, but doesn't do anything useful except perhaps encourage people to not tie the men properly. It helps in a softer men because the futon that makes up the bubble is not stiff enough to cushion the impact.

Anyway, checking it cannot hurt and costs nothing.

And, it is a subtle way to approach your sempai/sensei with your problem.

[Yzakj]

[QUOTE=hyuna]It is a common misconception that the top of the men should rest flat on the top of your head. Rather, there should be a small bubble of space between your head and the top of then men. If there is not, the men is either not tied properly, not sized properly, or, I suppose, not made properly. It is very common for beginners, and especially those with new bogu, to not tie the men tightly enough. Because the new men is stiffer, it is much more difficult to tie it tightly enough until it is broken in and shaped to your head. If it is tied too loose, the men shifts down during practice and stops being protective. So, since you said you have a new men, it is worth checking even if you were tying your old men properly.
AQUOTE]

There should indeed be a space between the men and the top of your forehead, because of the difference in shape of your men and head. So unless you have a retarded cube head, there should be room there. Also, maybe you just leave your men really tight on your ears, if that is so the vibration can travel to your ear through the men (yes sound travels in waves). So try pulling a space out between the men and your ear.

[dorkusxmaximus]

I don't need to be told about this. My friend has measured bogu for other people at his dojo before, so I trust him and his measurements. My men fits me just fine. All I want to know are the side effects of tinnitus, and not to be given suggestions about my men.

[dorkusxmaximus]

I don't need to be told about this. My friend has measured bogu for other people at his dojo before, so I trust him and his measurements. My men fits me just fine. All I want to know are the side effects of tinnitus, and not to be given suggestions about my men. Exactly how tight to you want my men to be tied? Until I lose circulation of my brain? I always tie my men properly. A person can tsuki me all they want, and it still wouldn't come off. Hai_Hai and Viking was probably the only ones to give me a piece of some useful information.

[Yzakj]

Advice for others.... (ring ring?) :ponder:

[Yzakj]

Stupid little smileys. Well Tinnitus isn't just caused by head trauma, it is also caused by loud noises, like artillery for example as the most extreme, and even driving with your windows open for long distances. It probably is the subjective type, now why don't you try going to a doctor. Here is more information if you need it.

http://www.bixby.org/faq/tinnitus/discover.html
it's basic

The noise of excessivly loud kiai are probably it as well, and tying the men really tight around the ears only amplifies the sound.

[hyuna]

All I want to know are the side effects of tinnitus, and not to be given suggestions about my men.

Tinnitus affects your hearing and makes it hard to hear. It is as if you cannot hear over the ringing. That is usually only a problem for chronic tinnitus sufferers, like those who acquire it from being in noisy situations. However, from your description, that is probably not what is going on with you. You said that you hear it only after struck hard on the head.

That would make it seem more like a side effect from a concussion, as hai_hai said. If that is the case, it is not the side effects from the tinnitus you should worry about, because the tinnitus is a symptom of the concussion. It is the concussion you need to worry about.

http://www.walgreens.com/library/topics/concussion.jhtml

A concussion is NOT a trivial thing, and the only thing you can do about it is either not get hit anymore (and the only way to ensure that is to stop doing activities where you get hit on the head) or to improve your protection, which means dealing with whatever is going on with your men or your posture or whatever.

[Yzakj]

Are you sure you want to know about the side effects of Tinnitus? Or rather the permanent damage you may recieve from this? I had Tinnitus on two occasions over the course of a few days from listening to music too loud. Never got it from kendo though, I leave space between the men and my ears so if I get smacked there or anywhere else I don't get ringing in my ears. It does say in some manuals to leave a space between the men and ears.

[m_french]

Nancy, when I was in Northern Cal there was this guy at our Dojo named howard, every time we did men-uchi he would hit so hard I would see a flash of light followed by ringing in my ears. I started kicking my head up a little when I was his motodachi so he would strike my men gagne unstead of the top of my head. This stopped the pain and helped to create more understanding on his part of the force of impact he was delivering (his shinais started to crack :beard: ).

[samurai999]

Nancy, when I was in Northern Cal there was this guy at our Dojo named howard, every time we did men-uchi he would hit so hard I would see a flash of light followed by ringing in my ears. I started kicking my head up a little when I was his motodachi so he would strike my men gagne unstead of the top of my head. This stopped the pain and helped to create more understanding on his part of the force of impact he was delivering (his shinais started to crack :beard: ).


LOL :D :D :D. You figured that out too huh?

Tim

[dorkusxmaximus]

Hahahaha I always do that to people that smack me around a little too hard LOL. That's for bringing it up, Michael haha. It sure pisses off some of the higher-ranking people though =X. One of my sempais was pissed at me T_T, and one of my friend's started taping his shinai. I haven't done that to a sensei yet, and it's not a good idea to either, I suppose. Otherwise, I'm going to get an earful from them ^_^. I better watch out for that =P.